- Title: TUNISIA: Locals accuse Tunisian chemical plant of destroying marine life
- Date: 10th April 2014
- Summary: GABES, TUNISIA (RECENT - MARCH 23, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LOCKED GATE TO CHEMICAL PLANT TUNISIAN FLAG/ PLANT SMOKE COMING OUT OF FURNACE ONE OF PLANT'S ENGINEERS ABDERAHMEN AL HAJ BELGACEM WALKING WITH COLLEAGUE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ENGINEER, ABDERAHMEN AL HAJ BELGACEM, SAYING: ''There is a water treatment plant over there putting in around 10 thousand cubic metres dai
- Embargoed: 25th April 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Tunisia
- Country: Tunisia
- Topics: Business,Environment,Industry
- Reuters ID: LVA9MFI6LF891GEYYHDEUKW71XD2
- Story Text: Behind this locked gate is one of Tunisia's chemical plants, it's a phosphate-refining complex, situated north of Gabes, by the shores of one of the country's seaside hot spots.
The plant has provided the local community with many job opportunities, but locals are accusing the factory of polluting the local area, saying that industrial pollution from the plant is resulting in ecological damage.
Tunisia is the fifth biggest phosphate exporter in the world and this plant transforms phosphate into fertilizers. During this process thousands of tonnes of industrial waste are pumped into the sea, with devastating consequences.
The beach and water have become so polluted that fish and other species are dying.
One of the plant's engineers says the company is aware of the problems and intent on reducing the negative impact it has on the environment: ''There is a water treatment plant over there putting in around 10 thousand cubic metres daily. We'll recycle that water for our phosphoric acid production, so god willing that 10 thousand cubic metres will be saved beginning from next month', says Abderahmen Al Haj Belgacem.
The plant exports the fertilizers it produces to international clients.
Abderahmen Al Haj Belgacem says the plant needs to continue producing to fulfil its contractual obligations. Referring to recent protests by local people that resulted in the plant having to close, he said it damages business.
''When a client comes to collect the fertiliser, and he finds the port closed, there are penalties that the Tunisian chemical group has to pay.'' But whether business is good is no consolation to local fishermen. They say their livelihoods have been ruined by the poisonous waste that goes straight into the sea.
''The fish used to come here where it found seaweed, it would settle and reproduce. That's when we would work, people used to catch a lot, more than you can imagine. Since we have that (the factory) the seabed has become muddy, they dish don't stay here anymore, they leave," said fisherman Chebbi Hamrouni.
Another fisherman says tourists no longer visit the beach here and locals are also staying away.
''In summer, we can't enjoy our beach, we're poor people, we can't take our families to the beach to swim in the water. We're deprived of the sea in all areas,'' said fisherman Abdallah Bououd.
In 2010, the plant produced 1 million tons of phosphoric acid, deemed a 'record year'.
But, after the Arab Spring, losses were incurred. Local people started to protest against the plant and the social unrest that followed blocked the transfer of phosphate from Gafsa to Gabes.
What the future looks like for these fishermen though, no one knows. The have received some compensation from the plant, but they say more needs to be done to save their local environment and restore their businesses. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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